American Culinary Federation Releases 2011 Salary Study

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The American Culinary Federation (ACF), the nation’s largest organization of professional chefs, released its 2011 Salary Study and Salary Calculator today, the first since 2008. The study of more than 2,700 ACF members reveals valuable industry statistics on average salaries, length of workweeks, highest paying industry segments, gender pay discrepancies and the financial benefit of obtaining ACF certification.

“As a national organization, we represent America’s culinary professionals, from entry-level cooks to Certified Master Chefs,” said Michael Ty, CEC, AAC, ACF National President. “Some of the encouraging signs from the 2011 ACF Salary Study are that even with the unsteady economic climate, the unemployment rate remains low for culinary professionals. Data also confirmed that those with ACF certification earn higher average total compensations.”

“This study provides us with a snapshot of the state of our industry, both the good and the areas that need improvement,” said Ty. “The income disparity between men and women is something that cannot be ignored. Equipped with this knowledge, we as a Federation are currently developing ways we can help improve gender equality in the professional kitchen.”

The 2011 study features responses from 2,711 culinary professionals who are ACF members. The vast majority, 88%, were employed or self-employed full time. More than one-third of respondents were executive chefs. Four out of every five respondents were male. More than 52% were 45 years or older and nearly 40% held an associate degree. The average base salary of all respondents was $63,786.

Some of the findings from the 2008 survey were:

The average ACF member made an annual salary of $54,100. On average, chefs who held the Certified Executive Chef (CEC) or Certified Executive Pastry Chef (CEPC) designation or higher earned $10,900 more per year. Corporate organizations typically paid higher salaries than other places of employment.

Purchase the Survey
ACF members who responded to the survey will receive the entire report and can access the Salary Calculator in the member login area of the ACF website. All other ACF members can read the Executive Summary and access the Salary Calculator in the member login area of the ACF website. The complete study and Salary Calculator can be purchased for $25 by ACF members and $100 by non-members in the ACF e-store.